Creating multiple versions of panels from a single panel definition file

Abstract

A computer system for providing application program developers a technique for building a plurality of panel displays from a single, comprehensive panel definition source file. The system includes routines for creating panel definition information, acquiring a copy of previously created panel information and displaying panels dynamically created at run time using previously stored panel definition information. The system also allows the specification of modifications to panel displays at run time as well as an option for look ahead processing of previously defined and newly specified panels at run time.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method of preparing interactive display panels for use in a graphical user interface to an application program comprising the steps of: constructing at build time of the application program a data file containing display layout parameters for a plurality of related panels, said data file correlating each display layout parameter with a respective set of related panels, wherein at least one set of related panels differs from any other set of related panels;   generating from said data file a set of panel build instruction groups incorporated in the application program, each one of said panel build instruction groups containing the display layout parameters for a respective one of said plurality of related panels; and   responsive to an application call, accessing during application program run time said set of panel build instruction groups for displaying application program designated ones of said related panels.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 wherein said generating step includes: structuring a member of said set of panel build instruction groups by looking at each said display layout parameter for determining whether it is identified with said member being structured.   
     
     
       3. The method of claim 2 wherein said accessing step includes for each member of said set of panel build instruction groups: retrieving a copy of a panel build instruction group;   dynamically creating a platform specific panel display command set; and   storing in a library associated with said application program each panel display command set used by said application program.   
     
     
       4. The method of claim 3 including the additional steps of: specifying at run time a further one of said plurality of related panels;   structuring another platform specific panel build display command set, corresponding to said further one of said plurality of related panels; and   storing said another platform specific panel build command set on said library.   
     
     
       5. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising a step of preparing a new interactive panel at application program run time from a previously stored panel build instruction group, the preparing step comprising the steps of: specifying new panel layout parameters as a function of previously stored panel layout parameters;   generating a panel display command set containing platform specific display characteristics: and dynamically developing a display in accordance with said panel build instruction group.     
     
     
       6. A system for preparing interactive display panels for use in a graphical user interface to an application program comprising: means for constructing at build time a data file containing display layout parameters for a plurality of related panels, said data file correlating each display layout parameter with a respective set of related panels, wherein at least one set of related panels differs from any other set of related panels;   means for generating from said data file a set of panel build instruction groups incorporated in the application program, each one of said panel build instruction groups containing the display layout parameters for a respective one of said plurality of related panels; and   means responsive to an application call for accessing during application program run time said set of panel build instruction groups for displaying application program designated ones of said related panels.   
     
     
       7. The system of claim 6 wherein said means for generating includes: means for structuring a member of said set of panel build instruction groups by looking at each said display layout parameter for determining whether it is identified with said member being structured.   
     
     
       8. The system of claim 7 wherein said means for accessing includes; means for retrieving a copy of a panel build instruction group;   means for dynamically creating a platform specific panel display command set; and   means for storing in a library associated with said application program each panel display command set used by said application program.   
     
     
       9. The system of claim 8 further including: means for specifying at run time a further one of said plurality of related panels;   means for creating another panel display command set corresponding to said further one of said plurality of related panels; and   means for storing said another panel display command set in said library.   
     
     
       10. The system as recited in claim 6 further comprising means for enabling real time development and display of interactive display panels at application program run time, comprising: means for making a modified version of a previously stored panel build instruction group,   means for generating platform specific panel display commands corresponding to said modified version; and   library means associated with said application program for storing said platform specific display commands.   
     
     
       11. An interactive panel display generation system for facilitating user interface to an application program comprising: a build time component having means for specifying a data file containing layout parameters for a plurality of related panels, wherein at least one layout parameter is unique to one related panel and generating from the data file and storing panel build instruction groups in the application program, each panel build instruction group containing display layout parameters for one related panel of said application program; and   a run time component for dynamically developing platform specific panel display commands from said stored panel build instruction groups.   
     
     
       12. The system of claim 11 wherein said run time component also includes: means for storing panel display commands in a library associated with the application program.   
     
     
       13. The system of claim 12 wherein said run time component additionally includes: means for creating a new panel through making modifications in a previously stored panel build instruction group; and   means for dynamically developing and storing platform specific panel display commands from the run time modified panel build instruction group.   
     
     
       14. The system of claim 12 wherein said run time component includes: means for retrieving panel display commands from a library associated with an application program;   means for immediately displaying a first panel in accord with retrieved panel display commands; and   means for preparing a second panel for later display in accord with retrieved panel display commands as a function of user interaction with the first panel.   
     
     
       15. A computer program product for generating interactive panel displays for providing a graphical user interface to an application program comprising: a computer usable medium on which is recorded computer readable program code including: a build time component means for accepting and storing in a single source file panel build instructions for a plurality of related panel configurations, said single source file correlating each build instruction with a respective set of related panels, wherein at least one set of related panels differs from any other set of related panels generating from said data file a set of program panel build instruction groups, incorporated in the application program each one of said panel build instruction groups containing the display layout parameters for a respective one of said plurality of related panels; and     a run time component means comprising; means for dynamically preparing platform specific panel display commands from build time stored panel build instructions; and   means for accepting modifications to build time stored panel build instructions and dynamically preparing platform specific panel display commands therefrom, and   means responsive to an application call for accessing during application program run time said set of panel build instruction groups for displaying application program designated ones of said related panels.     
     
     
       16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein said run time component means also includes: means for immediately displaying in accordance with dynamically prepared platform specific panel display commands; and   means for subsequently displaying in accordance with dynamically prepared commands as a function of user response to an earlier displayed panel.